Monthly Archives: November 2014

AirDroid is one of those indispensible tools that goes on a new phone or tablet the minute I set it up. And it’s only gotten better in the years since it debuted: the second version of the web-based management app allowed users to access their Android device for files, contacts, photos, and other functions from any browser with a login system. With version 3, just published as a beta app, the developer has added a stand-alone desktop manager for Windows and OS X.

SHIELD Tablet LTE owners in the US who are ready to kick off the holiday weekend have a little something extra to be thankful for this year – their version of NVIDIA’s eight-inch tablet is getting Lollipop as of now.

The Wi-Fi version of the tablet started getting the update a little over a week ago, and it was announced at that time that NVIDIA was waiting on carrier approval (probably AT&T) before Android 5.0 could be pushed to the LTE model.

Amazon was forced to concede that its much-anticipated Fire Phone was not a big seller when AT&T dropped the price mere weeks after it was released. When the retailer’s quarterly results were announced, we learned the scale of the screw up. Now Amazon is washing its hands of the whole mess. It’s unloading unsold 32GB Fire Phones unlocked for $ 199 off-contract. The off-contract price at launch was $ 650 and AT&T charged $ 199 with a 2-year agreement.

The OnePlus One isn’t quite the hot item it used to be, and if there are any prospective buyers in India, they might have been swayed by the handful of flagship phones that have launched from more conventional manufacturers in the months since the device’s release. Even so, if you want a One on the subcontinent, you won’t have too much longer to wait. Maybe. According to this promotional page and some information from the OnePlus forum, Amazon will start selling the One in December.

Early this summer, T-Mobile announced a Music Freedom plan that would allow customers to stream music from select services without impacting their data allotment. Some people opposed this offering on principle. Others were simply upset to see their favorite services not supported. Around these parts, Google Play Music topped the list of what folks wanted to see.

Update: Motorola has announced that all Nexus 6 devices should be able to be activated on Sprint now. People are reporting successful activation of Motorola-purchased devices, and I was personally able to activate my AT&T Nexus 6 on Sprint by simply calling Sprint, giving them the MEID (IMEI minus the last digit) and the SIM card number I wanted to use. The device shows up under my account as a Nexus 6 and appears to be working beautifully.

When it comes to interior design, there are three categories of people: those who will get any item and place it anywhere, those will do their best to make things look good without going to extremes, and those who will agonize over every angle, size, color, and texture. If you fall somewhere between the second and third category, you’ll be happy to know that iOS-famous Home Design 3D is now available on Android.

If a smart sounding person has stepped onto a dimly lit stage and started to wax poetic about some seemingly lofty accomplishment or idea, you’re probably in the midst of a TED talk. Don’t panic. Stay calm, sit still, and listen. What you hear might just change the way you think.

Some people already thrive on a diet of regularly delivered mental floss, preferring to watch content that actually leaves them feeling better after binge watching a few clips.